Tag Archives: Eduardo Nuñez trade

The Red Sox rookies are posting some amazing debut numbers! Rookies Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, and veteran newcomer Eduardo Nunez are tearing up the American League. The arrival of the first two concerned people who thought they came too soon. While many of the Red Sox are on the disabled list or slumping at the plate, these Red Sox rookies are on fire.

Andrew Benintendi came up late in the 2016 season straight from Portland. He bypassed AAA and quickly proved that he belonged in the MLB. He hasn’t left since. Benintendi hit .295 in 34 games with the Red Sox in 2016, including a home run in the ALDS against the Indians. He earned a place in left field too with his above average defensive skills. He’s also on pace for a 20+ home run season and should received the Rookie of the Year Award.

Rafael Devers has only played fifteen games as of August 15rd but he’s hitting .339 in 64 plate appearances, nothing to shrug off. He also hit six home runs in those fifteen games. On August 13th, Devers hit a home run that came in at 102.8 miles per hour off Aroldis Chapman. According to Statcast, Devers hit the fastest pitch-turned-home run recorded since experts started tracking such statistics in 2008. That’s impressive for anyone. For a 20-year old rookie though? It’s nothing short of amazing.

Veterans Add Their Own Clout Alongside Red Sox Rookies

Eduardo Nunez, who came to the Red Sox from the San Francisco Giants, contributes years of skill to Red Sox offense. A 2016 All-Star, Nunez comes as a boon to the Red Sox. In 68 plate appearances as of August 14th, Nunez has a .382 average with four home runs.

The Red Sox won’t reach the playoffs because of regular players. Dustin Pedroia or Hanley Ramirez will play a role but not a big one. That accolade should go to the these newcomers and acquired veterans.

Unlike the rival Yankees, the Red Sox did not make a splash on baseball’s trade deadline earlier in the week. Contrary to the opinion of a few, that was a good thing. Instead of a big splash, Dave Dombrowski slowly worked his way into the pool and it has paid instant dividends. With the spark from Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nuñez acclimating so well, the Red Sox may have plugged up their holes.

The weakest part of the Red Sox was clearly third base. Between Pablo Sandoval, Deven Marrero, and Tzu Wei Lin brought a lack of continuity and consistent offensive production. With Xander Bogaerts’ abysmal play the last month added on top, a utility guy was needed. Dombrowski dumped a few C-rate prospects to San Francisco to acquire Eduardo Nuñez. After about a week, this has been an excellent deal.

Nuñez has come across the country, switched leagues, and has absolutely flourished. As of August 3rd, Nuñez is 11 for 22 with four doubles, two homers and nine RBI. On top of that, he has already provided some clutch plays for the Red Sox. He even won the Sox a game on a groundout. As of right now, the man can do no wrong.

Coming in as a .300 hitter before the deal, Nuñez has been having a career year. He’s also a guy who can play third base, second, and shortstop. With Dustin Pedroia now on the DL and the mighty struggles of Bogaerts, his versatility is crucial. Although he came from the Giants, he is not foreign to the American League. In fact, he’s pretty familiar with the AL East. He played his first four seasons from 2010-13 backing up Derek Jeter in New York and before this year he had only played in the AL. A learning curve of switching leagues is overrated but Nuñez has had no such problem.

Nuñez’s Impact Goes Beyond the Field

The impact Nuñez has already made on this team is already major. Even if he hits .200 the rest of the year, he may have already saved their season. He and Devers have already made an impact that transcends the field. They have woke the Red Sox up. This team was in absolute shambles before the deal was done. Since then, the hope is back. In fact, when those guys both have multi-hit games, the Red Sox have been 4-0.

So no, there was no splash made at the trade deadline. They added nice pieces in Nuñez and Addison Reed. Unlike Houston or New York, the Red Sox didn’t need to make this huge deal. They are a team built for the postseason and Nuñez just adds to that depth and can help revive their offense. It’s now up to the Red Sox to keep this going.